by Coco Maceren and Gaby Gloria
Art by Sean Eidder

Remember when making a wish on 11/11 was a thing? Once upon a time (that time probably dating back to late 2011), Nov. 11 became a day for hopeful souls to tweet whatever wishes they had in mind. These ranged from the desperate, “11:11 sana pumasa ako sa Math exam ko!” to the more malandi “11:11 I hope he notices me.”

The fad is still in place (as immortalized in a recent song by K-Pop singer Taeyeon), but less common than it was before. Lucky for you guys, today is 11/11, and for Young STAR’s 20th birthday, we’re bringing back the tradition and declaring that we have a free pass to wish for whatever we want. With what’s happening to the world right now, we all could use a wish or two… or maybe even 20.

Keep the youth woke

Judging from the public outcry from the #MarcosNotAHero to the “boy talk” issue, it’s clear that the youth have no problem voicing out their opinions. The youth are next generation’s leaders, after all. We’re the ones who will create solutions for future problems, and we wish that we stay “woke” to keep fighting battles that must be fought. Fight for education, fight for dismissal of ignorance, fight for equality.

No more cyberbullying

People should stop having to resort to public shaming via social media posts just for others to take notice of important issues.

Equality for everyone

The gender spectrum has never been just black and white. Instead, it’s a spectrum of colors. We wish for everyone to finally feel included. Equal rights for everyone. Every class, race, gender and sexuality.

Carly Rae for pop queen

We wish that more people would appreciate Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Emotion” and “Emotion: Side B” for the masterpiece that they are. No more questions — just go and purchase her albums.

Shut up and listen

A lot of Twitter and Facebook comment wars start from peoples’ unwillingness to listen and understand others. We wish that people kept an open mind before making judgments and accusations.

Stop and walk

One of the major causes of stress, traffic and accidents is the country’s lack of reinforcement of proper jeepney and bus stops. We wish for brighter and better days for commuters. Gone are the days that a jeepney or a bus stops on any part of the road. We can’t wait for the day we’ll see people walking, following rules and getting down at the correct stop.

Traffic be gone!

Need we say more?

We’re all band aids

Remember Almost Famous? Before dancing in the pit, Penny Lane described the difference between a groupie and a “band aid.” A band aid inspires the music. These are the people who are there because of the music. We wish the same for everyone attending every music festival. We wish that more music festivals be executed properly, with a good mix of local and foreign acts — and that everyone dances like Penny, and enjoys the music the way it must be enjoyed.

Doge app

Wishing for animals to finally talk is a long shot. But we wish for an app that assists people in deciphering what animals mean when they whimper, bark, howl or meow. Wouldn’t you want to know what your furry ‘lil friends are saying?

Long live the Printed word

Some major titles may have folded this year, but we still wish for the printed word to stay alive. At the same time, we wish that people keep reading — not just listicles but long forms like novels, essays, newsletters, etc.

Patronize the arts

Culture and the arts are fundamental for a civilization to thrive, and we wish for more people to patronize them. We wish for more people to enjoy local music, literature, art and craftsmanship in order for those industries to churn out more quality work. Give them attention and give proper credit to those who keep culture and the arts alive.

Keep creating

Borrowing from master creative and #YSGirlGang member Abbey Sy, we wish that everyone keeps creating, whether in the field of art or whatever else.

Don’t hate, appreciate

We wish for everyone to learn how to appreciate, and be thankful. Most of the time, showing appreciation for one another and/or the universe can make a big difference.

Keep the magic alive

We wish for the next generation to have their very own version of Harry Potter, or have something reminiscent of it. Magic should live forever and ever and ever, in whatever manifestation.

No more mental health stigma

Gone are the days that people are afraid to accept and discuss mental illness. Help is on its way, always.

Selfless leaders

We wish that our leaders could magically come together to actually work for the good of the Filipino people. Selfishness and corruption has turned us all against each other. We need to unite to bring back the glory of our motherland.

Action reaction

Doing charitable work should go beyond Christmas, birthdays, and special holidays. We dream and hope of a time when more and more people will realize that there is more to the world than the bubble that they live in.

Peace

We wish for the end of armed conflict in Mindanao, for peace in the Middle East, and for harmony between countries. The world needs less of the reds.

Take climate change seriously

This is not a hoax, and it is definitely not an “Obama-created-climate-change” plea. But we wish that the youth continues to take a stand against this important issue, and that within the next 20 years, everyone does one something to change it.

Young STAR breeds Young stars

For the past 20 years, Young STAR has been a platform for the youth to speak up and get inspired. It has opened doors for the young ‘uns and the young-at-heart to connect with one another through the written word. We wish that in the next 20 years (or more), this exchange will never stop.